The ALANA-IA faculty caucus has released and signed the following statement regarding campus unity and a commitment to fostering an inclusive, pluralistic community at Stetson in the aftermath of the 2016 presidential election, which ended in the early morning of Nov. 9. ALANA-IA is an acronym for African-descent, Latino/a, Asian-American, and Native-American faculty, as well as International faculty, and other Allies for inclusion, equity, and justice. The full statement is below.

STETSON UNIVERSITY ALANA-IA FACULTY CAUCUS CALL FOR DIALOGUE, UNITY, AND UNDERSTANDING IN THE WAKE OF THE 2016 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

By all accounts, this presidential election was one of the most divisive in recent history with the results shocking much of the country. Since the beginning of the election season various aspects of people’s identities such as race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, ableness, nationality, religion, migration status, and class have been consistently devalued, depreciated, and marked as dangerously different for the purpose of political gain. Further, our social, political, and economic climate sets up significant barriers to political participation and ignores or capitalizes on human vulnerabilities. We want to acknowledge these factors as also impacting the election, individual voting decisions, and our fractious and frustrating political conversations. The election is over, but the echoes of this discriminatory rhetoric are still with us. As a result, many communities have been left with a great sense of uncertainty regarding the direction of this nation. Among the main concerns are the questions “What are our values?” “What does it mean to be American?” “What does it mean not to be American and yet live in the U.S.?” “What challenges will members of non-dominant cultural and political groups face to negotiate belonging in this national community and ensure their access to human and civil rights?” Here at Stetson University, our community has expressed a variety of actions, emotions, and concerns related to these questions. The ALANA-IA Faculty Caucus would like you to know that your emotions and concerns are valid, and that we share them.

As such, we want to affirm that we are dedicated to maintaining and strengthening our commitment to the concept of a pluralistic university where educational excellence is one that promotes mutual respect by way of civil discourse and fosters diversity through dialogue, understanding, and solidarity. We recognize that there are historical and present day injustices, conflicts, injuries and violence that divide us. We share in acknowledging and grieving our stories. By doing so, we recognize ourselves in each other. Through this process, we seek to minimize our divisions and respect differences as we work to bridge the divide.

This election has forced all of us to reexamine who “we” are. As we move into uncharted waters, the ALANA-IA Faculty Caucus remains resolute in supporting all members of our community while we work to repair our sense of community and security. We stand with President Libby when she writes, “We are a community of learners in which listening and compassion are essential, and hateful speech and actions have no place.” In closing, we welcome the opportunity to rethink how we achieve unity. In doing so, we hope and encourage you to add your voice to the conversation, for it is in dialogue, and not silence where we will achieve greatness and harmony.

Shahram Amiri, Professor and Chair of Decision and Information Sciences

Shawnrece Campbell, Associate Professor of English

Pamela Cappas-Toro, Assistant Professor of Spanish

Rachel Core, Assistant Professor of Sociology

Roslyn Crowder, Assistant Professor of Biology

Kimberly Flint-Hamilton, Professor and Chair of Sociology, Anthropology, and Public Health

Melinda Hall, Assistant Professor of Philosophy

Ramee Indralingam, Professor of Chemistry

Sharmaine Jackson, Assistant Professor of Sociology

Asal Johnson, Assistant Professor of Public Health

Camille King, Professor and Chair of Psychology

Danielle Lindner, Assistant Professor of Psychology

Susan Peppers-Bates, Associate Professor of Philosophy

Timothy Peter, Professor of Music

Jelena Petrovic, Assistant Professor of Communication and Media Studies

Harry Price, Associate Professor of Chemistry

Leila Roach, Associate Professor and Chair of Counselor Education

Joshua Rust, Associate Professor and Chair of Philosophy

Matthew Schrager, Associate Professor of Health Sciences

Tara Schuwerk, Associate Professor of Communication and Media Studies

Leander Seah, Assistant Professor of History

Rajni Shankar-Brown, Associate Professor of Education

Robert Sitler, Professor of World Languages and Literatures

Alicia Slater, Professor of Biology

Sven Smith, Assistant Professor of Sociology

Page Thanasiu, Assistant Professor of Counselor Education

Ranjini Thaver, Professor of Economics

Jessica West, Assistant Professor of Finance

Update: Dr. Ranjini Thaver wished to sign this letter and was accidentally left off the original release. Her name has been added to the list of signatories.